Chewing on Items Can Permanently Damage Your Teeth
When you are nervous, bored or just lying around, you often engage in some type of habit. You may smoke a cigarette, or you may crack your knuckles. Many people turn to the habit of chewing something.
They are not chewing on things for any other reason other than it is a habit. The problem is that chewing on some items can damage your teeth. Think about it before doing these things.
Chewing Gum
From a young age, you may enjoy sticking a piece of gum into your mouth and chewing on it. You enjoy the flavor of the gum and you appreciate that it is helping your breath smell nice. But you also need to know how chewing gum can impact the health of your teeth. It is not all good news…
Chewing gum has sugar in it. Chewing on the gum allows the sugar to stick to your teeth. If you do not clean the sugar off your teeth, bacteria will grow. That can lead to tooth decay, cavities and gum disease.
It is possible to turn to sugar-free gum, but it is something best done in moderation. If you are constantly chewing gum, you could also damage your jaw and the muscles of the mouth.
Chewing on Ice
Another common item to chew on is ice. Chewing on ice may not seem like a big deal. The ice melts and gets softer, but that does not mean it cannot damage your teeth. Chewing on ice can cause cracks. The more you do it, the bigger the cracks get. Cracks can cause teeth to chip and break. They are also a place where bacteria can grow. Both are not good for the health of your teeth.
Ice and gum are two things that people chew on that can damage the teeth, but there are others. Anything high in sugar and sticky can cause damage to the teeth. Hard items can break teeth when you chew on them. The best advice is to think about what you are chewing on and what can happen before you continue.
For more information about how to care for your teeth, contact the dental professionals at our offices.
